Congress boycotts rest of Odisha Assembly session

With two full days still left, the Congress on Thurday announced its boycott of the remainder of the monsoon session of the Odisha Assembly in protest against the gagging of the voice of the Opposition in the House.

Both Congress and the BJP staged a walkout during the debate on the Odisha Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill 2015. Congress,, the main Opposition party in the state Assembly, announced theboycott of the rest of the current monsoon session of which two more working days are left while the BJP boycotted the House for the remaining part of the day.

The Opposition created a ruckus opposing the Odisha Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill 2015 and even tried to climb on to the podium of the Speaker. Later, along with the Leader of the Opposition (LOP), Congress and BJP members sat on a dharna under the podium of the Speaker. With the House continuing the debate on the Bill despite its opposition to it, the entire Opposition walked out in protest.

The House later adopted the Bill sans the Opposition in their benches.

The Congress wanted changes in some clauses of the Bill to which no importance was given, alleged senior Congress leader and LOP Narasingha Mishra.

“The Constitution is being regularly violated. Democratic traditions are being infringed upon and voice of the Opposition is being gagged. It crossed all limits today. For that reason we boycotted the House. We will not participate in this session any further,” said Mishra speaking to the media.